A 4,000-acre lakeside park on Lake Pend Oreille, featuring rich World War II naval history, glacial geology, and premier disc golf courses.
Farragut State Park occupies 4,000 acres of northern Idaho wilderness at the southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille, where the deep waters meet the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. This landscape was shaped by the catastrophic Glacial Lake Missoula floods during the last ice age, when a massive ice dam failed and sent a torrent of water and debris rushing across this basin at depths of up to 2,000 feet. Today, the remnants of this geologic megaflood are visible in features like the Hoodoo Channel and the surrounding kettle depressions. The park features over 16,000 feet of shoreline along Idaho's deepest lake, surrounded by dense stands of ponderosa pine, grand fir, and western larch.
Before it became a haven for outdoor recreation in 1965, the site served as the Farragut Naval Training Station during World War II. Constructed in 1942 and named after Admiral David Farragut, the base quickly grew into the second-largest naval training station in the world, transforming the quiet Idaho woods into a bustling military city that trained more than 293,000 recruits. Visitors can explore this history at the Museum at the Brig, which is housed in the only remaining original military brig on the property. The museum displays a collection of naval memorabilia, historic photographs, and restored military vehicles, while the adjacent Memorial Plaza features the bronze sailor statue known as Mack.
Recreation in the park is diverse, ranging from quiet forest hikes to competitive sports. Hikers can follow the 1.2-mile Squirrel Cache Trail through meadow habitats or take the Shoreline Trail along Buttonhook Bay for views of the Monarch Mountains. For a more demanding trek, the Highpoint Trail climbs toward Bernard Peak, offering vantage points over the lake where mountain goats are frequently seen. Water enthusiasts gather at Beaver Bay Beach, a protected, horseshoe-shaped cove where the water is noticeably warmer than the rest of the lake. The park also features the Farragut Disc Golf Complex, which includes five distinct courses: Wreckreator, Northstar, A.W.O.L., Cutthroat, and the family-friendly Little Black Bear. Additionally, the Tree to Tree Adventure Park provides an aerial obstacle course with zip lines and rope bridges suspended high in the pine canopy.
To escape the chilly waters of Lake Pend Oreille, head to Beaver Bay Beach, a protected, horseshoe-shaped cove where the shallow water warms up comfortably during summer afternoons.